Naksansa Temple in Yangyang

Site details

Naksansa Temple, located at the foot of Obongsan Mountain in Yangyang, is one of the three great mountains in the Gwandong region along with Geumgangsan and Seoraksan. The name Naksansa is derived from "Botanakgasan," a place where Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is believed to always reside and preach. It is one of the three major prayer sites dedicated to Avalokitesvara and offers breathtaking views of the East Sea, earning it a spotAMong the Eight Scenic Views of Gwandong. The temple was founded in 671 AD (11th year of King Munmu's reign) by the Silla monk Uisang and has been rebuilt several times, most notably in 858 AD (2nd year of King Heonan's reign). Although it was destroyed during the Korean War, it was reconstructed in 1953. The temple complex boasts numerous cultural and religious treasures, including the ‘Gongdonghaebajungsaritap’ pagoda, the ‘Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Statue,’ the ‘Seven-story Stone Pagoda,’ and the ‘Haesu Gwaneumsang’ statue. It also houses the Botajeon Hall, which enshrines all statues of Avalokitesvara, and the Uisang Memorial Hall, which contains relics of the temple’s founder, Uisang Daesa. Naksansa Temple is not only a place of historical and cultural significance but also a revered site of Avalokitesvara worship and a thousand-year-old temple rich with cultural heritage.